Pea sheller



Nov. 4, 1952 c, v, CATALDO 2,616,434

PEA SHELLER Filed Oct. 29, 1947 INVENTOR, -CHA2LE6 V CATALDO ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PEA SHELLER Charles Vincent Cataldo, Atlanta, Ga.

Application October 29, 1947, Serial No. 782,828

2 Claims.

My invention relates to cutting implements and more particularly to a tool or device designed to facilitate the splitting and shelling of peas.

An object of my invention is to provide a tool which will reduce to a minimum the time and labor necessary for splitting and shelling peas.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pea sheller which is materially improved and simplified and its operation, rendered easy and successful in its action.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described which is strong, durable, eificient and reliable in use, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the tool embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring more in detail to the drawing it will be seen that the tool comprises a handle III provided at one end thereof with a head II. The head I I may be formed as an integral part of the handle, as shown, and is preferably relatively short, being shown less than one-third as long as the remainder of the handle. The handle II] and head I I may be made of wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material.

From an enlarged shoulder portion I2, the handle II] is narrowed and undercut to form the head II and is gradually tapered toward the opposite end I3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The handle I and head II are flattened along the top, as shown in Fig. 3, and have a substantially straight top line, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

A cutting blade I4 is mounted in a slot in the end of the head II farthest from the handle IIl, said slot extending through the head from the flattened top portion to the bottom. The blade I4 has an upstanding portion I which is sharpened to a knifelike cutting surface along the leading edge I6. The blade I4 also has a base portion I! which lies within the slot in the head II.

A guide I8 which may be formed of sheet material, is wrapped around the head I I so as to close the bottom of the blade receiving slot and continues upward along one side of the head I I to a height above the top of the blade M, as shown in Fig. l. The upstanding leading edge I9 of the guide I8 is positioned slightly in advance of the leading edge It of the blade I l.

The head I I, blade I4 and guide I8 are securely fastened together by any suitable means such as a pin or rivet 20 which extends therethrough, from side to side, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. A single fastening means is suflicient to hold the parts together, especially since the guide I8, which is wrapped around the head so as to close the bottom of the blade receiving slot, also serves as a brace, against which the bottom edge of the base portion I! of the blade I4 rests, to prevent the blade from turning about the pin 20 when pressure is applied to the cutting edge It when the tool is in use. As seen most clearly in Fig. 2, the leading edges of the blade I4 and the guide I8 are flared outwardly from each other and the blade I4 is distinctly curved to form this outwardly flaring leading edge to facilitate the use and operation of the tool, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

In use, the tool is held with the handle II] in the palm of the left hand, the thumb and forefinger gripping the enlarged shoulder I2, and the other three fingers resting upon the flattened top of the handle which is turned away from the palm of the hand. As thus held, the cutting blade I4 and the guide I8 are conveniently and advantageously positioned for the use intended. The peas to be split open by the tool are taken at one end by the right hand of the user and pulled through the tool by an upward, outward motion of the hand holding the pea. By this motion the pea is brought into contact with the guide I8 which positions the shell 2| for proper splitting by the knifelike leading edge I6 of the blade I4, as shown in Fig. 3. The operation is fast and simple, and makes a clean cut or split along the length of the pea shell 2I, and the peas 22 then fall out or can be removed from the shell with a minimum of effort.

The way the tool fits into the palm of the hand automatically adjusts the tool to its advantageous position of use. The enlarged shoulder provides a useful grip to prevent slipping and to lodge the tool securely in the hand. The handle and head aligned with the guide and blade form a natural path for movement of the peas along the tool so that a novice can use the tool with dexterity; and the relatively short head positions the blade 3 and guide close to the hand and thus eliminates the unwieldy unnatural feeling of a more remote cutting head.

It will be understood that the tool will be useful for many purposes and that changes may be made in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tool of the class described comprising a handle having an enlarged shoulder portion, a head narrower than said shoulder portion integrally joined to said handle, said handle having a flattened top surface, and said head also having a flattened top surface aligned therewith and forming an extension thereof and being vertically slotted from said flattened top surface downslotted from said flattened top surface dowriwardly, said shoulder portion of said handle being both wider and deeper than said head, a blade member positioned within the slotted head and extending above the flattened top surface thereof, a leading edge on said blade member sharpened to a knifelike upright cutting surface facing said handle, a guard wrapped partially around said head and beneath said blade and extending upwardly from one side of said head to a height above said blade, said blade being curved so a that the leading edge thereof flares outwardly wardly, said shoulder portion of said handle being both wider and deeper than said head, a blade member having a base portion and a cutting portion, said base portion being received within the slotted head so that said cutting portion extends above the flattened top surface of said head, a leading edge on said blade member sharpened to a knifelike upright cutting surface facing said handle, a guard wrapped partially around said head and beneath said blade and extending upwardly from one side of said head to a height above said blade, said blade being curved so that the leading edge thereof flares outwardly from said guard, the leading edge of said guard being also flared outwardly from said blade, and means extending through said guard, said head and said blade and fastening the same securely together.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a handle having an enlarged shoulder portion, a head narrower than said shoulder portion joined to said handle, said handle having a flattened top surface, and said head also having a flattened top surface substantially aligned therewith and forming an extension thereof and being vertically from said guard, the leading edge of said guard being also flared outwardly from said blade, and

means extending through said guard, said head and said blade and fastening the same securely together.

CHARLES VINCENT CATALDO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,020,055 Renner Mar. 12, 1912 1,215,167 Kemp Feb. 6, 1917 1,472,269 Grimmer Oct. 30, 1923 1,580,228 Wright Apr. 13, 1926 1,743,029 Ewing Jan. 7, 1930 1,796,870 Huhn Mar. 17, 1931 1,960,651 Swazey May 29, 1934 1,991,267 Waldron et a1 Feb. 12, 1935 2,695,152 Reynolds Oct. 5, 1937 2,153,759 Katzinger Apr. 11, 1939 2,184,902 Antony Dec. 26, 1939 2,446,749 Evernden Aug. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 373,447 Great Britain May 26, 1932 

